at the same time economic data from china and europe has been improving, all of which could boost global energy demand. triple-a predicts prices at the pump will keep climbing, topping out somewhere between $3.60 and $3.80 a gallon this spring. but traders say if you want a quick way to know where prices are headed, watch the stock market: >> oil prices look at equity market as a proxy for demand, or future demand. we are at 14,000 in the dow, no coincidence that we are at the highs of the energy market as well. >> reporter: and the higher price of gasoline comes as workers have less take-home pay, because of the expiration of a payroll tax holiday. so will consumers be forced to cut back spending, hurting economic growth, and stock market performance? >> not necessarily, because rising gasoline prices is usually predicated on a weaker dollar or better economic activity. better economic activity would lead to higher earnings. >> reporter: wolfberg says crude prices would have to jump $10 a barrel, or roughly 10%, before there's a major hit to the u.s. economy. erika miller, "n.b.r.," new